Marans Pullet/Cockeral?

[Better Than Rubies]

I'm guessing both pullets, because neither of them have the cockerel coloring. But yes, the confusing thing is their huge red combs. I guess they could be early maturing, though? I don't think there's any specific male feathering on them, either, so...yep, I'm sticking with pullets.

 

[Jenile Volz]

2 had bigger combs/waddles when I got them. They obviously were picked-on when I got them

 

[Shadrach]

They look like the French Maran pullets I've had here and very lovely they are to.
I love the blues and greens in the plumage and the gold in their hackles.
By this age the males here had way more red on their saddles and much larger comb and wattle development.

 

[Gray Farms]

Are you certain of the age? They don't look 4 months old to me.

 

[Jenile Volz]

That’s when the breeder said they were hatched

 

[EggSighted4Life]

2 had bigger combs/waddles when I got them. They obviously were picked-on when I got them

In that pic... I would definitely be thinking two were cockerels...

And I agree the comb is taller than it should be at any age for a Marans pullet... BUT... I had a batch I am culling through right now due to combs being larger than what I think is acceptable to the SOP.

I do however believe their would be HUGE behavioral differences by this age... Some can actually be identified in MY line within the first days of hatch according to behavior alone... most all have their red coming on the wing tops at least by 4-6 weeks... and usually the stringy colorful saddle feathers start developing by about 12 weeks with a few being earlier or later...

All current indicators (barring that chick pic, which is sometimes just flushing) point to pullet... I LOVE a good mystery!

Please note.. the sound you talk about them making.. the one you say has fat legs... MANY of my pullets walk around kinda cackling as they get closer to lay. I used to consider one way of knowing they were females... until after sooo many, ONE male decided to throw that one out the door.

I tried to convince myself either was a cockerel... but my mind still doesn't buy it.

The breeder they came from said both were boys... they may know THEIR line better than I do... and there ARE huge differences among lines.

 

[Kelliejanine]

I hope it is ok to ask a question here, I have 2 wk old Maran chicks...is it crazy to think I can tell the difference between girls and boys now?
I just noticed the other day the combs on 2 are enlarging, feathering is at about the same stage on those two and 2 others with smaller combs. There are some behavioral things I've noticed also.

Not crazy. I have a 3 week old maran and he’s very obviously a cockerel. I wanted to double check and made a post about him yesterday and everyone agreed... cockerel. This is the only breed ive raised who developed a large comb and waddles this early.

 

[drumstick diva]

agree with Gray Farms